Monday, October 01, 2007

OCT 07 FEATURED AUTHOR: LaConnie Taylor-Jones


SORMAG: Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

LaConnie Taylor-Jones:
Genesis Press author, LaConnie Taylor-Jones is a native Memphian and member of the San Francisco Area and Black Diamond chapters of Romance Writers of America.

LaConnie’s debut novel, When I’m With You is a compelling tale of how a funding request brings Marcel Baptiste, a wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist and Caitlyn Thompson, the head of a struggling Oakland youth center head-to-head. The Baptiste family saga continues with her April 2008 release, When A Man Loves A Woman. Married, she is the mother of four and resides with her family in Northern California. She’s also an active member with the Contra Costa Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the African American Community Health Advisory Committee, Girl Scouts of Northern California, and Black Women Organized for Political Action.

SORMAG: Tell us about your current book?

TAYLOR-JONES:
This is a story about the damage caused when someone is in an abusive relationship, and what happens when the person suffering the abuse is too scared to tell their loved ones what’s going on. It also showcases the difficulties one faces when learning to trust after having suffered the shame, embarrassment, and betrayal during the relationship, and the importance of being able to forgive and forget while moving forward with your life

SORMAG: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

TAYLOR-JONES:
There are three messages I strive to get across in all of my stories: (1) the beauty of the love that exists between the right man and woman (2) the importance of family, and (3) strategies to help deal with real-life situations

SORMAG: What inspired this story?

TAYLOR-JONES:
Over the past eighteen years, I’ve taught health education primarily to African American women in community-based settings. Oftentimes, before I can lecture on the risk factors associated with the chronic disease disproportionally impacting African Americans, I have to deal with the soci-economic deterrents these women face. Unfortunately, abusive relationships tops the list.

SORMAG: What did you learn while writing this book?

TAYLOR-JONES:
That despite the heightened awareness of domestic violence in recent years, its still an occurrence that happens all too often.

SORMAG: What aspect of writing do you love the best, and which do you hate the most?

TAYLOR-JONES:
Believe it or not, I enjoy the editing process. My line editor is absolutely wonderful!! She’s tough and demands excellence from the beginning to the end. Her consistency and attention to detail only helps to strengthen my story and ensure that my readers receive a quality product. So far, there’s nothing that I hate and I hope it remains that way!!

SORMAG: What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

TAYLOR-JONES:
(1) How long it would take to become published. In my case it took three and a half years. (2) The amount of work a new author has to put into getting their name and book out to readers and (3) How an author oftentimes must juggle writing new stories, editing ones that have already sold, and marketing themselves, all at the same time.

SORMAG: What should a new writer know about the publishing business?

TAYLOR-JONES:
The first tip I’d give is to prepare. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: reading books from authors published in the genre you’re writing in, taking courses or workshops, entering contests, and if possible, speaking with published authors in your targeted genre. Once you have a workable draft of your manuscript, join a critique group and above all, accept constructive feedback. All of these things will help in the end so that you’re providing a quality product for agents and editors to review.

A couple of books I’d highly encourage writers to purchase are: Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen and Writing Novels that Sells by Jack Bickham.

SORMAG: What do you do to make time for yourself?

TAYLOR-JONES:
I’ve learned how to say NO without feeling guilty.

SORMAG: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

TAYLOR-JONES:
Mailing Address: 3377 Deer Valley Road #244 ~ Antioch, CA ~ 94531

E-mail Address: lovestories@comcast.net.

Website: http://www.laconnietaylorjones.com/

4 comments:

LaShaunda said...

LaConnie,

Congrats on your new book. Thanks for the interview and the two book tips. I will definitely look them up.

Many blessings to you.

Vanessa A. Johnson said...

LaConnie,
Congrats on the release of your book. The excerpt was intriguing, and I love the title.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay

Gwyneth Bolton said...

Great interview, LaConnie. And I LOVED the excerpt. Wow! Now I really can't wait to read the book. Their chemistry already has me pulled into the story. :-)

Gwyneth

LaConnie said...

Hi LaShaunda, Vanessa, and Gwyneth:

Many thanks ladies for the well-wishes!!

I truly beleive you'll enjoy Marcel and Caitlyn's story.

Happy reading!!!

Much love,
LaConnie

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